


You Can't Protect Them from Everything (But You Can Damn Well Try)

by Lumeleo



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Coming Out, F/M, Growing Up, Protective Parents, Trans Female Character, mtf Albus Severus Potter
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-07-10
Updated: 2020-07-10
Packaged: 2021-03-04 23:48:45
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,524
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25174879
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Lumeleo/pseuds/Lumeleo
Summary: Harry and Ginny thought they had two sons and a daughter. It turns out this isn't the case after all.All Harry cares about is keeping his children happy and safe.
Relationships: Harry Potter/Ginny Weasley, Hermione Granger/Ron Weasley
Comments: 5
Kudos: 83
Collections: Expelli-gender! 2020





	You Can't Protect Them from Everything (But You Can Damn Well Try)

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Aeternum](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Aeternum/gifts).



“Mom? Dad?”

Harry looked up from the Daily Prophet, blinking as he saw his younger son standing in the doorway. Not only that, he looked like he had been crying. “Al? You should be in bed.”

“Is something wrong, sweetie? Did you have a bad dream?” Ginny frowned, pushing aside her half-finished cup of tea in favor of reaching her arms out to him. Al hesitated for a moment before running across the kitchen floor, bare feet making no sound as he rushed into Ginny’s arms.

“I — I need to talk to you.”

Harry met his wife’s eyes over Al’s head. Their middle child was often serious, but this was rather extreme even for him. As such, he leaned forward with his elbows on his knees, making it clear he was giving Al his undivided attention. “We’re listening.”

It took another moment for Al to actually speak, too caught up in quiet little sniffles that very nearly broke Harry’s heart right then and there. Finally he spoke, his voice muffled against Ginny’s chest. “I — I think I’m a girl.”

Harry blinked slowly, not sure he heard right. "Come again?” As Al flinched, he rushed to add, “I’m not upset or anything. I just want to be sure I understand.”

That seemed to lend Al some amount of courage, as he drew a deep breath. “I’m a girl. Like — like Lily. I’m all wrong and everyone calls me a boy but I know that’s not true.”

“Right.” Ginny was running her hand through Al’s hair, now, her voice soft and gentle. “So, do you want us to treat you like a girl?”

Al sobbed, and what little of Harry’s heart was still holding together shattered entirely. “Can — can you?”

“If that would make you happy? Of course.” Harry smiled a little. “If you want, we could ask Aunt Hermione if she has any dresses that are a bit too small for Rosie. She’s taller than you, so they might fit you.”

“Really?” Al’s eyes flew wide. “Would — would that be okay?”

“Of course.” Ginny pressed a kiss to Al’s hair. “We can get you your own pretty clothes, too, but it might be a few days before we can schedule a proper shopping trip.”

Al stared at Harry for a moment, then turned to give a similar look at Ginny. Then he threw his little arms around Ginny’s neck, holding on tight.

It was a while before they got Al to settle into bed, but finally exhaustion from nerves won out over the excitement. Harry lingered in the doorway for a moment still, until Ginny pulled him away.

“This could go terribly,” Harry sighed as Ginny started making them both a new pot of tea in place of the one that had gone cold by now. “Kids that age can be vicious, and Al’s under enough scrutiny as he is.” God knew he still had plenty of memories of the torment he’d gone through in school.

“You didn’t say no, though.”

“I couldn’t.” Harry shook his head, walking over to Ginny. “I’d rather Al gets love and support from us, even if he might get teased, than make him hide how he feels to fit in. The Dursleys tried to make me fit their idea of normal all my childhood, and I’ll die before I do the same thing to one of my own kids.”

“She.” As Harry made a questioning sound, Ginny chuckled. “If we’re going to let Al live as a girl, we might as well start making an effort.”

“You’re right. As usual.” Harry reached his arms around her waist, nuzzling at the back of her neck. “And you’re fine with it, too?”

“If it makes her eyes shine like that? I’d be a monster not to be.” Ginny leaned back against him for a bit. “If it’s a whim, I don’t see any harm in indulging it. And if she’s serious, it would be wrong not to listen to her. Boy or girl, she’s our child.”

“Indeed.” Harry paused. “We’ll have to be prepared to stand up for her.”

“Good thing you have plenty of experience with protecting people, hmm?” Ginny turned her head, catching Harry’s lips in a kiss.

“If I were someone trying to hurt our kid, I would be more worried about you.” Harry chuckled against her lips. “You are vicious when need be.”

“If anyone tries to hurt my child and I hear about it? I will make them regret ever being born.” Ginny’s voice was teasing, but Harry could hear the steel hidden underneath. That was the woman he loved, the warrior he had married, fire and steel and a brave burning heart.

Together, they would keep their daughter safe no matter what.

*

“So.” Harry looked at James and Lily both in turn. “Do you have any questions?”

Lily frowned, seeming a bit confused. “So does that mean Al’s going to be my big sister?”

“For now, at least.” Ginny nodded. “She thinks she’s going to be happier as a girl, so we’re going to believe her. She might change her mind later, but it’s all up to her.”

“We won’t have any teasing or mean comments.” Harry gave James a firm look. “This is very important to Al, and we are going to support her. However, there are probably going to be people who are not going to be nice about it. That makes it all the more important that we as her family have her back.”

James looked thoughtful for a moment. “Question.” As Harry nodded, he asked, “Does this mean I’m the only boy in the family?”

“It certainly looks like it, yes.” Ginny lifted her eyebrows. “That’s the important part to you?”

“I don’t care.” James shrugged. “If Al wants to wear a dress or something, good for him — er, her,” he corrected himself at Harry’s meaningful gaze. “I’ve got one sister already, two can’t be any worse.”

“I like it!” Lily announced with a grin. “A big sis is going to be awesome!”

“Well, that’s good to hear.” Harry felt slightly relieved. This could have been much worse. No doubt there would still be some bumps in the road, but at least they were getting started all right. “Now, Al should have changed into a dress in her room by now. How about we go tell her it’s all fine, and then we can all go for ice cream together?”

This apparently brought out more of a reaction than the news that their brother was actually their sister, but he supposed that was kids for you.

*

“Should I even ask what the kids are doing?”

“Playing hide and go seek inside, last I heard.” Hermione did not seem too worried, giving Harry a small smile from where she was helping Ginny set the large table that had been stretched across the garden of The Burrow. “Which might have changed by now, but I haven’t noticed a storm descending upon us, so chances are they are still indoors.”

“That should keep them occupied until it’s time for food. There are tons of good hiding spots around the house.” Ron tried to sneak himself a bite from the snack table only to get swatted away by an unimpressed Molly. “Oh, come on, I’m hungry!”

“Perhaps, but I won’t have you eating your way through everything before we even start.” Molly gave her son a long-suffering gaze. “You don’t even have the excuse of being a growing boy anymore. Have some patience.”

“I don’t know, I’m sure he could grow some more. Mostly in width, though.” George grinned as he appeared in the yard carrying a huge bowl of salad. “I asked Fred to keep an eye on his younger cousins, but that probably won’t do much good.”

“Stop worrying, Harry. I’m sure they’ll shout if they need help.” Ginny shook her head. “It’s not too often that we have so many of the cousins in the same place at once, let them play.”

“Right.” Harry sighed. “I’m just… well, concerned. About Al.” She had been living as a girl for several months now, and she definitely seemed much happier for it, but this was the largest group of people she’d been around since her transition. Sure, it was all family, but children could say some hurtful things without intending to.

“Oh, right, her.” Ron shrugged. “I get that it’s a sensitive subject, but I wouldn’t worry too much. Anyone says anything to her, Rosie’s going to punch them.”

“I’d rather hope she’ll find non-violent solutions to her problems. She certainly knows to come to find an adult if need be.” Hermione clicked her tongue before glancing at Harry with another smile. “Anyway, Ron has a point. Rose hasn’t left Al’s side since we got here, and if anyone says something less than friendly, she’s going to set them straight.”

“You can trust that at least. Rosie’s definitely her mother’s child, I’m pretty sure she’s more informed on all the science and stuff than I could ever hope to be.” Ron patted Harry on the shoulder. “We’ve got good kids, and they’ve got good cousins."

“Indeed. It’s good that you are trying to protect Al, but you should also trust the other people around her.” Molly smiled. “Oh, that reminds me. Has she thought of a more girly name yet? I want to make sure I have the right initial for her Christmas sweater.”

“Actually, yes.” Now, Harry brushed aside his worries to grin at his unsuspecting wife. “She found something that has the same meaning as Albus and is also kind of similar to someone close to us. Al wants to be the one to make the announcement, though, so I’ve been sworn to secrecy.”

Hermione’s expression shifted as she was obviously already shifting through potential names in her mind. The others simply scoffed at Harry for teasing them like that, but let it go. Good. He wasn’t sure he could hold firm against too much prodding.

Staying quiet was very much worth seeing the look on Ginny’s face when Al stood up while everyone was eating and declared she would from then on be known as Gwen. Unsurprisingly, this had been twisted to Gwenny before the visit was over, with a very touched Ginny smiling like the sun as they ushered their tired children towards the fireplace to return home.

Perhaps Harry really didn’t have to worry quite so much.

*

Harry wasn’t sure if he should have been relieved or upset that the first time he was called over to Hogwarts this year was not because of James. He loved his son, sure, but James could be a troublemaker at the best of times. Gwen was rather the opposite, so he had no idea why he would have been summoned for her sake, but he doubted it was anything good.

The bad feeling only got stronger when he approached the Headmaster’s office and saw someone else already there. Someone far too familiar.

“Malfoy.” Harry gave him a faint nod. “What are you doing here?”

“Much the same as you, I suspect.” Malfoy sniffed. “I do hope one of your spawn hasn’t gotten Scorpius into trouble.”

“It's much more likely that he has been bothering Gwen.” Harry frowned, and might have said something else if the door hadn’t opened just then.

“Ah, good. You are both here.” McGonagall nodded at them both. “Come with me, won’t you?”

Harry bit back his questions, following McGonagall into her office. He spotted Gwen as soon as he entered. She was huddled up in a chair, murmuring to the young Malfoy. As she heard them come in, though, she looked up. “Daddy!”

“Gwenny. Are you all right? What happened?” He rushed over to hug her, looking her over for any obvious injuries. He was vaguely aware of Malfoy doing the same with his son next to them, but that was hardly Harry’s concern. All he cared about right now was making sure Gwen was all right.

“Now, I’d like to make it clear right away that neither Gwen nor Scorpius are in any trouble.” As Harry glanced over at McGonagall, she was taking a seat at her desk with perfect calm. “However, it is our policy to contact parents of all involved students in any notable incident.”

“What happened, then?” Harry kept his arm around Gwen, not quite ready to let go.

“I’m afraid a few students were teasing Gwen.” McGonagall sighed. “When she ignored them, they tried to push her down the stairs.”

“What?” Harry’s head snapped back to Gwen.

“I’m fine, Daddy!” Gwen insisted. “Scorpius caught me! I’m not hurt at all.”

“He also, ah, hexed those responsible.” McGonagall cleared her throat. “However, Scorpius is not in trouble either as we have plenty of witnesses to confirm that this was self-defense. The bullies will face the appropriate consequences, and I will see to it that this does not happen again.”

“It had better not.” Malfoy’s eyes narrowed. “It should not be the responsibility of students to keep each other safe.”

“I agree, which is why we are taking this seriously.” McGonagall paused. “We have been working on making the school safer than it was in your childhoods. It is an ongoing process, but we are committed to it.”

“Good.” Harry shook his head. “There are things children shouldn’t have to learn the hard way.”

There were some more details to go over, but at last McGonagall released Harry and Malfoy with their kids. Gwen and Scorpius hurried down the stairs ahead of them, sticking close.

It was a good thing Gwen had a friend at school, Harry reminded himself. Even if it was a Malfoy.

When they got out into the hallway, Malfoy cleared his throat with a frown. The kids both turned towards him, and Harry wondered if he would have to interfere.

“Scorpius.” Malfoy leaned down to set a hand on his son’s shoulder. “I know you did your best to protect your friend, and I’m proud of you for that. However, you should try to find methods that don’t hurt anyone.”

Scorpius frowned. “They tried to hurt Gwen!”

“I know. However, I want you to try to be better than that.” Malfoy patted Scorpius’s hair. “I want you to be better than me.”

Harry's lips twitches. “Neither of us was the best at staying out of trouble as kids.”

“Don’t even start, Potter.” Malfoy gave him a half-hearted glare. “I swear, if my son starts stabbing basilisks I’m going to blame you.”

“I’m rather hoping there aren’t any of them left around the school.” Harry shook his head. “Ah. Thank you, Scorpius. I’m glad to know Gwen has such a good friend at school.”

“Scorpius is the best friend there is!” Gwen announced, her hands on her hips. “Even if Uncle Ron says stupid things about him.”

“You know not to listen to Uncle Ron about everything.” Harry paused. “Not a word, Malfoy.”

“I wasn’t going to say anything.” And yet, Harry couldn’t help but hear the smirk in Malfoy’s voice.

At least their children were doing better than they ever had.


End file.
